Liverpool Airport

On the west side of the airport is the main apron used by commercial operators and airliners such as EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz Air, Blue Air, FlyBe. On the east side is the GA Apron (Kilo) which is used by the General Aviation traffic including flying schools and Southport and Merseyside Aero Club.

The airport is inside a controlled (class D) airspace and the Air Traffic Controllers are very skilled and efficient in managing commercial traffic with general aviation.

On the GA Apron, all aircraft must be affiliated to a Tenant. All GA Tenants operate under a Licence issued by the Airport which is overseen by the Lead Tenant that is Ravenair who manage the GA apron Southport and Merseyside Aero Club are affiliated to Liverpool Flying School who provide us with space at the apron, maintenance (by Keenair) and deal with the club's administrative needs such as authorising airside security passes.

Once you join our club, you can apply to get your GA Apron security pass which will allow you to access our aircraft 24/7 via automatic gates without needing anyone to let you in. This can be very useful, for example, when you are free during the evenings when flying schools are closed.

Alternatively, you can access the apron via Liverpool Flying School during its operating hours.

Flying Procedures

Last update: 17/12/2018

For up-to-date airfield charts, IFR/VFR procedures including VFR entry-exit lanes please visit NATS AIS service - airfields page.

Booking Out

Before you taxi you will need to telephone the Liverpool ATC on 0151 907 1532 to book out. They will require the following information:

• Type of flight: Local or land-away or circuits
• Time of Departure (Zulu) (Please note that ATC may discard your booking if you are more than 30 minutes late)
• Aircraft Type
• Destination (if land-away)
• Where leaving the Zone in reference to a VRP. See entry-exit lanes chart. Runway in use will narrow this for you although you can request a non-standard VRP subject to ATC approval.
• Time on Route
• Persons on Board
• Fuel Endurance (Hours)

Clearance, Taxi, Take-Off

You do not need to call ATC for initial Taxi on the GA apron (K). Taxi slowly to clear the area near (but not obstructing) holding point Kilo. Whilst waiting for the engine to warm up obtain the Liverpool ATIS on 124.330. Besides giving the runway in use, QNH etc. the ATIS will tell you if Liverpool Ground frequency is operating. When the engine is warm, perform all Power Checks and Vital Actions before contacting Liverpool Ground (121.955) or Liverpool Tower (126.355) (if Ground frequency is closed) for Departure Clearance followed by Taxi instructions.

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Example Calls

Your initial call: Liverpool Ground, G-GYAV at Kilo, with information Charlie, QNH 1017, request Clearance and Taxi.

Ground (or Tower) will issue your clearance before taxi: G-GYAV hold position, after departure leave the zone via Vicars Cross Roundabout, not above 1,500ft, VFR, squawk 5050

You need to read back the clearance: Hold position, after departure leave the zone via Vicars Cross Roundabout, not above 1,500ft, VFR, squawk 5050, G-GYAV

Please pay attention not to mix Departure Clearance with Taxi Clearance. Wait for the Taxi Clearance before leaving the GA Apron (K).

Your taxi instructions will follow your readback: G-AV correct, taxi holding point Golf, runway 27, QNH 1017

You read back: Taxi holding point Golf, runway 27, QNH 1017, G-AV

Before or as soon as you arrive at your holding point, if you are with Ground frequency, they will instruct you to call Tower: G-AV, hold at Golf, contact Liverpool Tower on 126.355

You read back: Hold at Golf, contact Liverpool Tower on 126.355, G-AV

You contact the Tower: Liverpool Tower, G-GYAV holding at Golf

They clear you for take-off: G-AV surface wind 250 degrees 7 knots, runway 27 cleared for take-off.

You read back and take-off: Cleared for take-off, runway 27, G-AV

After the departure and turn, the Tower will hand you over to the Radar: G-AV contact Liverpool Radar on 119.855

You read back: Contact Liverpool Radar on 119.855, G-AV

You contact the Radar letting them (and any traffic) know your routing: Liverpool Radar, G-GYAV routing Vicars Cross Roundabout outbound

They ackowledge: G-AV, Liverpool Radar, Radar Control Service, report at Vicars Cross Roundabout

You read back: Radar Control Service, Wilco, G-AV

On reaching your departure VRP, you report: G-AV, Chester outbound

Unless otherwise requested they will provide Basic Service: G-AV, roger, Basic Service, report changing frequency

You read back: Basic Service, Wilco, G-AV

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Arrival

You request to (re)join after listening to the current ATIS you have been off the Radar frequency: Liverpool Radar, G-GYAV, 3 miles south of Tarporley Roundabout, with information Tango, QNH 1017, request join at Tarporley Roundabout.

They clear you to join as per standard VFR arrival routes according to the runway in use: G-GYAV, Liverpool Radar, cleared to join at Tarporley Roundabout, VFR, not above 1,500ft, squawk 5050

You read back: Cleared to join at Tarporley Roundabout, VFR, not above 1,500ft, squawk 5050, G-GYAV

They ackowledge: G-AV, correct, report at Tarporley Roundabout.

You read back: Report entering the Zone, G-AV

On entering the zone, you report your position: G-AV, entering the Zone

Now inside the controlled airspace, they give you your next routing: G-AV roger, Radar Control Service, route towards Helsby Hill, report the Field in sight

You read back: Radar Control Service, Wilco, G-AV

When visual with the airport, you report: G-AV visual with the Field

They hand you to the Tower: G-AV roger, contact Liverpool Tower 126.355

You read back: Contact Liverpool Tower 126.355, G-AV

You contact the Tower: Liverpool Tower, G-GYAV at Helsby Hill, inbound

They instruct: G-AV, Liverpool Tower, report Final runway 27 number 1

You read back: Number 1, Wilco, G-AV

You report when on Final: G-AV, Final

You are cleared to Land: G-AV, surface wind 260 degrees 5 knots, runway 27 cleared to land

You read back: Cleared to Land, runway 27, G-AV

After the Landing, they give Taxi instructions and hand over to the Ground (if open):
G-AV, Vacate at Foxtrot, contact Liverpool Ground on 121.955

You read back: Vacate at Foxtrot, contact Liverpool Ground on 121.955 G-AV

You contact the Ground: Liverpool Ground, G-GYAV vacated at Foxtrot

They give Taxi instructions: G-AV, Liverpool Ground, Taxi to Kilo

You read back: Taxi to Kilo, G-AV

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Other things to keep in mind

• After acknowledging the departure clearance read-back, you may be told to hold for taxi instructions ("read-back correct, standby for taxi instructions") in which case you still need to remain where you are ie on GA Apron and listen out for further clearance.
• You are responsible for your own satefy distance if you are following a bigger aircraft like Boeing 737. You can ask for an orbit if you find the separation distance insufficient.
• Typical departure routes are; if runway 27 is in use: Seaforth Docks (to the North), Vicars Cross Roundabout (to the South); and when runway 09 is in use: Kirkby (to the North), Tarporley Roundabout (to the South). The reverse of these are in use for arrival procedures.
• Please do not shorten your already-abbreviated call sign to 2 letters, ie do no say "AV" instead of "G-AV"
• When intending to do a touch-and-go, expect to be given a land-only instruction which ATC may give for allowing wake vortex from another aircraft to clear. In this case, after the touch-down, do not take-off until a take-off clearance is given.
• ATC will turn off the red stop-bars in front of your holding point at the time of Take-off or Line-up clearances. If the stop-bars are still illuminated red, do not enter the runway - ask for them to be turned off.

Last update: May 2023

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GA Community at Liverpool Airport

• Liverpool Airport General Aviation Users Association (LAGAUA) Is an association to represent and promote the interests and activities of private  aircraft operators and flying training organisations at Liverpool John Lennon Airport. More info on their website LiverpoolGAusers.org.uk
• Friends of Liverpool Airport (FoLA): Set up in 1980 by a small group of enthusiasts and people with a genuine interest in the well being of Liverpool Airport. Website: http://www.fola.org.uk